Improvement in grain-cleaners



c. LnwlEN. Grain-Cleaners.

N0.l48,3l4. i Patented Marh1(),1874.

Wi messes.' Invenor:

ZK/wien Un'rrnn STATES PATENT, Grrrcn CHARLES LowIEN, or ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN eRAlN-CLEANERS.

S peccaton forming part of Letters Patent No. 148,314., dated March 10, 1874; application filed October 1, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES LowrnN, of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented an Improved Smut-Mill, of which the following is a specification This invention consists in the specific construction and arrangement of the devices for cleansing the grain after it has been subjected to the action of the stone, as will be fully described hereinafter.

Of the drawing, Figure lis a sectional elevation; Fig. 2, an end or side elevation. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a front elevation; and Fig. 4, Sheet 2, a top plan.

A is a suitable frame, upon which the operative parts are mounted; A', a vertical shaft. B represents my revolving stone, or smutter, which is cone-shaped. The vertical shaft A' has the side lugs a, top and bottom, fitted to en gage the stone B, through which said shaft is passed, as indicated in Fig. l. The top and bottom of the stone B is secured by metallic bands. I surround the stone B with an outer wood housing or casing, B', in such a manner as to leave a narrow intervening space, b, between. The wooden casing B' is l supported stationary within the frame A.

As some kinds of grain, however, have their edges or points burned, blighted, and are otherwise affected, therefore l provide a top stone, C, at top ofthe wood-casing B'. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) v

The top stone G is so arranged as to leave between it and the top of the stone B the intervening passage or space b'. In order to control the said space b', and especiallyr adapt and otherwise enable the operator to set and adjust the top stone C with relation to the quality of grain, I have provided said top stone with adjustingscrews o, which pass through to engage the sockets in the top of the wood casing B'. (See Fig. l.) By operating the screws c, the top stone C can be raised or lowered to and from contact with the top of the revolving stone B, thus widening or narrowing the space b', according to the necessities of the grain, or the grinding action the same is required to be subjected to. The grain is fed to smutter through feed-opening c. (See Figs. 1 and 4.) D is the main pulley; this connects by belting to power source, in order to revolve the shaft A'.

The operation of the parts thus far is as follows: The grain is passed into the top of the smutter through the opening c', and first acted upon between the top stone G and inner stone B. Here the action is graduated by the operator as the nature of the grain demands., The grain within the top space b' passes next into the space b. Here the grain is subjected to the necessary action 'resulting from the rcvolving stone and the friction of wood casing, which cleanses and separates from the grain its smutty substances After being thus cleansed the grain, together with impurities, is passed out at a slanting chute, cl. After the grain has been thus far treated, it is further subjected to a cleansing process by means of the blast-fan and brush arrangements, as follows: D' is a fan-casing. This is supported at top, between the end pieces or frames of the machine. The casing D' is provided with a revolving fan, all, forming part of a revolving shaft, d2, which turns vertically in said casing. At top the fan-shaft d2 has a pulley, d3, which connects by belting to the pulley d4 top of main shaft A'. Underneath the ian-casing D' is a box-chamber, E, having the lower chutes, respectively,ee1e2. (SeeFigs.1,2,3.) The chute e is in line when the grain passesout, and

communicates with the chute d. Further, un-

derneath the chutes cl and e I arrange a circular drum or casing, F, having a top opening in line with said chute c. Within the casing F, on arevolving shaft, I provide a suitable brush, f. Surrounding the brush I provide a further casing, f1. This is wire-corded or perforated. (See Fig. l.) On the shaft A', d2 is the pulley, which, by belting, operates the shaft of the b rushf. The grain in its descent is thus put to the action of the brush f, which still further improves and cleanses the grain. The pure and cleansed grain escapes out of the brushcasing F, through a slanting chute, f2, this communicating with the chute el. (See Figs. l, 2, 3.) The heavier dust particles can readily be taken out of the brush-casin g F, and whatever dirt impurities are forced by the blast to rise in the chamber E readily escapes out of the chutes el e2, the very light dirt matter being forced out of fan-casing D through its opening. (Shown in Fig. 2.) Thus, before the d1 and chamber E with the chutes e e1 e2 bclow the fan and above the brush-cylinder, for the purpose of drawing away the impurities from the grain, as described.

In testimony of said invention I have hereunto set my hand in presence of Witnesses.

CHARLES LOWIEN.

Witnesses WILLIAM W. HERTHEL, C. F. MEIsNER. 

